Friday Jun 27, 2025

Houston We Have a Problem Part 2: The Pickleball vs Tennis Debate You Didn’t Know You Needed

What happens when you mix pickleball vs tennis debates, spicy pickleball TV ratings, and a 9-month pregnant woman dinking like a champ? You get an episode that’s equal parts spicy, sweaty, and a little bit unhinged in the best way.

In this episode, we kick things off with our resident spice specialist, Andrew Kole, who casually compares Anna Leigh Waters to Serena Williams and questions if Pickleball TV Ratings are even a thing. (They are. Sort of.)

Then we meet Hugh Zhang, owner of the Houston Hammers in the National Pickleball League. He’s building something bigger, and he’s using pickleball to support veterans, 50+ athletes, and anyone who thinks their best playing days are behind them. Spoiler: they’re not.

And just when you think we’ve covered it all, we introduce you to Sarah, who was competing until four days before giving birth. Yes, really. Dinking for two, and dominating.

We talk about:

The difference between dominating and growing a sport
Whether Serena could crush it on a pickleball court (answer: obviously)
The strange psychology of pickleball player ratings
How the National Pickleball League is rewriting the playbook
And the speakeasy in Houston that may or may not have changed us forever

This one’s big. It’s warm. It’s a little unhinged.
And it’s everything we love about this wild, weird sport.
So grab your drink, hit play, and meet the people who are shaping the future of pickleball, whether they meant to or not.

Cheers,

Casie & Lauren
Dinks on Tap

Craving a speakeasy moment with less controversy and more carbs?
Enoteca Rossa is where we wrapped up our Houston weekend. A glass of Lambrusco in hand, pizza on the way, and zero talk of who’s more dominant on the court.
📍Bel Air, Houston. Come for the carbs, stay for the secret door.
https://www.enotecarossa.com/